Grapes & Varietals
One grape at a time: where it grows, how it tastes and the bottles that show it best.
- Stories
- 17on the topic
- Last covered
- November 14, 2026
Latest in Grapes & VarietalsCalifornia's 2026 Grape Harvest Started in July and Came In LightGrapes & Varietals stories
Same Grape, Different Clocks: Barolo and Barbaresco
by Uncorked Wave ·Barolo and Barbaresco are both 100% Nebbiolo from Piedmont's Langhe hills. The official aging minimums, Riserva rules and release dates set them apart.
Pinot Noir vs. Cabernet Sauvignon: Why Two Red Grapes Pour So Differently
by Uncorked Wave ·Thin skins or thick, cool coast or warm valley: how grape, climate and winemaking make Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon so different in the glass.
75, 85, 95: The Numbers Hiding in Every American Wine Label
by Uncorked Wave ·A grape name means at least 75% of it. An AVA means 85%. Here is what federal rules require behind a US wine label's grape, place, year and alcohol.
What Wine Goes With Thanksgiving Dinner? Start With Acidity
by Uncorked Wave ·Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, dry Riesling, sparkling and Zinfandel all work at Thanksgiving. Here is the reasoning, from acidity to tannin, for a mixed table.
Beaujolais Nouveau 2026 Arrives Thursday, November 19
by Uncorked Wave ·This year's Beaujolais Nouveau is released Thursday, November 19. What Gamay is, how the wine is made in weeks, and how Nouveau differs from the crus.
Six Wines Under $25 From Portugal, Spain, France, Chile and Argentina
by Uncorked Wave ·Six wines under $25 from Vinho Verde, Rioja, Côtes du Rhône, Colchagua and Mendoza, each checked against the producer and a US retailer listing.
The Two Sides of Bordeaux, and the Label That Tells Them Apart
by Uncorked Wave ·Left Bank Bordeaux leans on Cabernet Sauvignon, the Right Bank on Merlot. The main appellations, and what the château, appellation and Grand Vin lines mean.
Why Finger Lakes Riesling Tastes the Way It Does
by Uncorked Wave ·Deep glacial lakes keep Finger Lakes vineyards steady, and a four-step scale on the back label shows how sweet a Riesling is. Here is how to read both.
From Pale Onion Skin to Deep Pink: How Rosé Gets Its Color
by Uncorked Wave ·Rosé is not red and white wine mixed. Here is how direct press, skin contact and saignée work, and why one rosé is pale and another deep pink.
Butter or Steel? How to Tell Oaked From Unoaked Chardonnay Before You Buy
by Uncorked Wave ·Chardonnay can taste rich and toasty or crisp and lean. Here is what oak and malolactic fermentation do, and the label and region clues to look for.
Napa or Sonoma? Choosing a Valley for Your First Wine Country Trip
by Uncorked Wave ·Napa is compact and reservation-driven; Sonoma is larger and looser. Here is how fees, bookings and car-free options compare for a first wine country trip.
A Plain-English Guide to Port, From Ruby to Vintage
by Uncorked Wave ·Ruby or tawny, LBV or Vintage: how each style of Port is made, the temperature to serve it at, and how long an opened bottle keeps, per Port's regulator.
A Four-Step Wine Tasting You Can Run at Your Kitchen Table
by Uncorked Wave ·A simple four-step way to taste wine at home, based on the methods WSET and the Court of Master Sommeliers teach, plus how to set up a side-by-side flight.
The High Road to Argentine Malbec
by Uncorked Wave ·Most Argentine Malbec grows in Mendoza at 430 to 2,000 meters. How the Uco Valley, a desert climate and a Southern Hemisphere harvest set it apart from Cahors.
Virginia Wine, Region by Region
by Uncorked Wave ·Virginia's nine AVAs, the grapes it grows most (Cabernet Franc leads), and how to visit Charlottesville, Loudoun and the Shenandoah Valley without driving.
How the Alcohol Comes Out of Dealcoholized Wine
by Uncorked Wave ·Vacuum distillation, spinning cone and reverse osmosis explained, plus what dealcoholized and alcohol-removed mean on a US wine label below 0.5% ABV.
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